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If it hadn¡¯t been for my mom, I might not be here today.

I thought I was in remission in the spring of 2008. I¡¯d already completed six rounds of chemotherapy for T-cell lymphoma ¡ª a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma ¡ª near my home in central Louisiana.

But my mother, a registered nurse, insisted I go to MD Anderson. She knew I might still need a stem cell transplant, and my local oncologist didn¡¯t do those. She made an appointment for me at MD Anderson on March 24, 2008. I¡¯m really glad now that I went.

Second opinion leads to non-Hodgkin¡¯s lymphoma re-diagnosis

I met with , that day. Thanks to the advanced technology MD Anderson uses, we discovered that I wasn't in remission after all. I still had tumors in my chest and kidneys.

Dr. Khouri recommended I start chemotherapy immediately, in preparation for an allogeneic stem cell transplant. I followed his advice and had my transplant on Aug. 7, 2008. My immune system is still recovering, but I¡¯ve been cancer-free ever since.

What makes MD Anderson superior

I really liked my local oncologist, and I¡¯m grateful to him for keeping me alive. But if I had to do it all over again, I¡¯d go to MD Anderson first.

From the moment I arrived here, I was amazed. Every single employee I encountered was professional and polite. And the sheer number of cancer patients that they treat on a daily basis gives them an advantage over smaller facilities.

But the quality of care I received at MD Anderson is what really separates it from other hospitals. The technology and treatment plans are advanced, extensive and impressive. And there¡¯s a specialist for nearly every complication a patient could run into.

Amenities make the difference

MD Anderson provides so many things that made my visits comfortable, too.

Just the services offered (in-house pharmacies, physical therapy, religious facilities, eateries, coffee shops, libraries, care training, etc.) show that MD Anderson has thought of every possible aspect of dealing with cancer. I used The Learning Center a few times myself to do research.

The hospital rooms are spacious and comfortable. Meal quality far exceeds any hospital I¡¯ve ever been in. And having the Rotary House right next door is such a plus. It¡¯s so nice to be able to wake up and just take a shuttle to your appointments, instead of having to fight Houston traffic.

If any of my loved ones had cancer today, I would encourage them to go straight to Houston. MD Anderson is the ¡°big guns.¡± They know what they are doing, and I¡¯m so glad my mother sent me their way.

That old saying about mothers always being right is true. I¡¯m so glad that I listened to mine.

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